Danganronpa: Foundations of Disparity
by kotohiko
Summary: Touma Sashi doesn't consider himself to be amazingly talented, but he's managed to secure a spot at Hope's Peak as the SHSL Barista. It's the chance of a lifetime. Or it would be, if he hadn't suddenly woken up in an unknown hotel, surrounded by 15 strangers who are all HPA students too—and forced to participate in a lethal game, where standing by isn't an option. [FANGAN RONPA]


Hello! As you may have been able to tell, this story is has an entirely original cast, setting, and plot - sans Monokuma, who is a Danganronpa stable. This is cross-posted from my Archive of Our Own account, under the name eatreadandsleeprepeat. I feel like script-style is somewhat self-explanatory, but in case anyone is confused, you would read this story like the text in a Danganronpa game! It has the protagonist's inner thoughts in _italics_ , the speaker is designated like **THIS:** , and actions in/around words are [shown here], like stage directions.

Updates should be happening weekly on Sundays/Mondays until I catch up with a backlog, when it will change to bi-weekly. I hope you enjoy the story, and feel free to leave your thoughts on what you like or dislike about the characters, format, or story! Thank you very much!

* * *

 **PROLOGUE: _STATIC DAYDREAMS, MOVING WORDS_ : START!**

* * *

 _I've been told I have a good eye—an eye for spotting what looks good, bad, could be better, could be worse. I have a good nose; I can tell you skim hazelnut versus whole French vanilla in less than a heartbeat. I know what looks, smells, tastes, feels **good**. But I'm know I'm better at finding what's wrong._

 _Right here, now, it's easy, too easy. Among a group of powerful, talented, influential adolescents, who doesn't belong? What's out of place?_

 _I bring a hand to my collar and loosen it. The answer is obvious._

 _Who shouldn't be standing in front of Hope's Peak Academy?_

 _Touma Sashi. Me._

 _What "talent" shouldn't have been considered an ultimate?_

 _The Super High School Level Barista._

 _Mine._

TOUMA SASHI — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BARISTA

 _Easy to answer. Hard to explain._

 _I took the steps up to the prestigious school with shaking legs and sweating palms that I nervously dried on my cloth napkin; still in my uniform, just got here; I'm going to look like an idiot. These people—my classmates—are going to see me and know that I don't belong._

 _I pushed open the door._

 _…_

 _It…._

 _It's wrong._

 _Something smells...wrong._

 _Wrong…._

 _…_

 _…_

* * *

 _I jerked awake with a quickness that left me nauseous._

 _Dizzy. Way too dizzy to be waking up in bed._

 _On the floor?_

 _I wasn't drinking last night, was I? This didn't feel like a hangover; that couldn't be it, absolutely not, so possibility ruled out._

 _Knocked out? No, didn't fit._

 _...Where was I?_

 _I surveyed my surroundings. The carpet underneath me was patterned, soft; I was still in my uniform, apron and napkins and all; my earrings were in—so I definitely wasn't in a fight, then—and my head was starting to clear. The lighting here was even—_

 _But where was "here"?_

 _...A hallway. I pushed myself up into a standing position._

 _A long, thin hallway, with two very noticeable features._

 _One: an insane amount of doors lined both walls._

 _Two: there were about a dozen people in the hallway with me, all of them unconscious._

 _...Alright._

 _None of them seemed to be stirring, and I wasn't sure how to react to that. If I was right, I'd been in their situations just minutes ago. Hm._

 _What the fuck._

 _I made my way over the unconscious—please, please just be unconscious—forms and down the hallway. I walked until I got to a door that looked like an exit, a fire exit, and pushed on the door, doing my best to keep my cool. If I could just get out of here…._

 _I pushed harder._

 _I could feel my legs shaking and I pushed harder, harder._

 _It wouldn't budge._

 **TOUMA:** [softly] This is fine. This is fine. I'm okay, I'm okay.

 **TOUMA:** ...And...that's a lie.

 _Somehow, my self-talk was even less effective than usual._

 _I leaned my back against the door, a feeling of dread growing in my stomach. I brought a hand to my mouth and closed my eyes, trying to keep myself grounded. The thought briefly crossed my mind that this could be a dream, but the pounding headache I had ruled that out, too._

 _A voice broke into my thoughts._

 **?:** Wh-wh...what…? H-hello?

 _Someone else! Maybe they knew what was going on. I quickly glanced over the mass of bodies to search for movement._

 _There!_

 **TOUMA:** Hey!

 _A girl with gray hair, a pallid complexion, and a giant gray bow snapped her head toward me._

 **?:** [frantically] Who are you?! What's going on?! What did you do to me!

 _Oh, shit, shit, perfect—now she thinks **I** know what's going on._

 **TOUMA:** [calmly; moving forward] Hey, sorry, hey. I just woke up, ma'am; I don't know any more than you do. I don't know why I'm here, except...Well, I'm Touma Sashi, and I'm technically the Super High School Level Barista...That could be it. Can I get your name?

 _The girl's lip wobbled as the stood up._

 **SHIZUKU:** Shizuku. Nokota. I-I know I went to Hope's Peak too, or was going to, but...I don't...um, I can't remember why. I'm really sorry.

SHIZUKU NOKOTA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL ?

 **SHIZUKU:** [bowing] Pleased to make your acquaintance, Touma.

 **SHIZUKU:** [hesitantly] W-well, I would be, if not for all of the, um, bodies.

 _Shizuku took a deep, clearly calming, breath, and brought her hand to her hair, fixing her bow. She delicately made her way over the...um, bodies, crossing to me._

 _From this close, I could make out more of her features. She had big, round. Dark eyes, nearly the same color as her bow, and her outfit matched her monochromatic aesthetic._

 _Her order would take at least thirty seconds to recite, I could tell; luckily, I wasn't on the clock._

 **TOUMA:** [bowing] Sorta-nice to meet you too, ma'am.

 **SHIZUKU:** [giggling] Aw, so polite!

 _Her voice was much more confident now, the brittleness and stutter completely gone._

 **TOUMA:** So, uh, what do you want to do about….?

 _I gestured at the mass of bodies. Shizuku frowned._

 **SHIZUKU:** [mumbling] Two...six...ten...fourteen, sixteen.

 **SHIZUKU:** [normally] Well, there are sixteen bodies—people—total. The two of us woke up on our own, so I say we wait and give them some time.

 _The more she spoke, the more audible a note of self-assurance became._

 **SHIZUKU:** The two of us can explore this area—separately, of course—and then we meet back up here. Let's give ourselves, say, fifteen minutes. If we hear anyone yelling, we meet back up here right then, okay?

 **TOUMA:** [playing with napkin absently] Alright, ma'am.

 **SHIZUKU:** [smiling; covering mouth] Touma, you can call me Shizuku, you know.

 _I felt my cheeks heat up._

 **TOUMA:** Of course, m—Shizuku.

 **SHIZUKU:** [nodding; turning away] Now, let's get to work, Sir Sashi.

 _God, the tips of my ears must have turned red by this point. Shizuku was….She seemed to be difficult to get a read on, but I got the impression that she was, at the very least, kind-hearted. Or, well, I felt that with as much confidence as I could, considering we had both woken up in a weirdly lain-out hallway with fourteen other strange people._

 _Shizuku quickly made her way back over the fallen forms, and I noticed that though she was wearing heels, she was moving with remarkable speed. As I watched, she disappeared into a nearby room._

 _I gathered myself and looked at the doors near me. They were numbered, but some of them appeared to be locked off. Upon closer inspection, most of the numbers seemed to have been edited._

 _I shuffled to the side and felt my foot bump into something. I froze, then looked down._

 _Shit. I just kicked a girl._

 _I paused, waiting to see if she would stir, but as I watched her face, I couldn't make out so much as a twitch._

 _Guess I'd be waiting a while for these people to wake up, then._

 _I stepped around her, careful to avoid accidentally trodding on her wild, curly black hair. It looked like she'd tied it back at some point with a red bandana, but it had escaped to cover the floor._

 _I walked past the last of the unconscious figures, making my way back to the fire exit. I leaned against the door helplessly, pushing against it weakly. I'd seen some stronger-looking people among those passed out; maybe they'd have more luck than me at getting this door to budge._

 _Maybe._

 _Hopefully._

 _I didn't think this door was going to yield much in the way of progress, so I should get back to checking out the rooms._

 _To my left was a door that was oddly unnumbered. I tried to open it, not expecting it to give — but then it did. I practically fell into the room, stumbling over my own feet before I quickly righted myself._

 _...At least no one was conscious to see that._

 _...Anyways._

 _The doorway led into a narrow opening. Most likely a storage closet, but I figured it would be wise to check it out. Maybe there would be some keys in here!_

 _The room was dark, but as I kept walking forward, I discovered it went on for much longer than I had thought it would. It was some kind of passage, then. I kept walking, not sure what I would find at the end. As much as I hoped for—what, a staff member? A window?—I somehow knew that whatever I saw wouldn't bode well._

 _Or maybe that was just the anxiety talking._

 _I paused briefly as I realized that, considering I had been possibly drugged, likely kidnapped, and didn't know where the hell I was, I was actually managing surprisingly well._

 _Until I consciously thought all that._

 _Fuck._

 _Oh, no. Oh no. Oh no._

 _My knees started to shake and I realized I couldn't keep walking. What day was it? What time was it? Where did my family think I was? I was—I was wasting my scholarship, my Hope's Peak scholarship, my unfair, undeserved, unwarranted scholarship, all because I'd—I'd—I'd—!_

 **?:** Eeeeeeee!

 _The sudden scream nearly caused me to collapse with heart failure. I could feel blood rushing in my ears. I didn't know what to do— what to do—what do I do?!_

 **SHIZUKU:** [distant] Touma! Sir Touma, are you okay? Please make your way back to us at your earliest convenience!

 _I tripped over my feet in my haste to run towards something I recognized, sending myself sprawling and scraping both my palms. I hissed in pain, pulling my napkin out of my apron and trying to wipe any dirt off my hands. I needed to wash them; who knew how unsanitary this passageway was?_

 **SHIZUKU:** [distant] Touma, are you alright?

 **TOUMA:** Yes, ma'am! On my way, ma'am!

 **?:** [distant] Ahhhhh!

 **?:** [distant] What's going on?!

 **?:** [distant] Who are you ?!

 _I entered back into the main hallway; where I'd woken up, I could see three figures: one clearly Shizuku, then the dark-haired girl I'd kicked, and one that was wearing a hat who was remarkably shorter than the other two._

 _I ran down the hallway to meet them, trying to ignore the shaking in my knees and focus on the possibility of an explanation—at the very least, the promise of an introduction, which I definitely needed to look professional for._

 **TOUMA:** [calling] Here, ma'am.

 _Luckily, I sounded at least moderately put-together. Shizuku scurried towards me._

 **SHIZUKU:** [relieved] Th-thank God you're okay, I was getting worried. Two girls woke up and one of them is, um—

 **?:** [shakily] No, no, no!

 _I looked over Shizuku's shoulder to see that the shorter girl had her arms crossed tightly over her chest and her eyes screwed shut. Shizuku shrugged helplessly when I raised an eyebrow at her. The other girl had taken a place against the wall and seemed to be a bit...out of it, so I moved towards the shorter girl first._

 _Her skin was tanned and her cheeks were flushed, maybe from exertion. She was pulling at her mottled-green hat and orange hair, clearly distressed._

 **TOUMA:** [softly; leaning down] Excuse me, miss.

 **?:** [freezing] ….

 **TOUMA:** I know things are scary right now, but everything's gonna be okay. I'm Touma Sashi. I'm the Super High School Level Barista, so I'm sure Hope's Peak is gonna look...um, come find me soon, okay?

 **?:** [hunches shoulders] ….

 **TOUMA:** So...that's my name. Can I ask yours?

 **?:** ….

 **?:** [mumbling] Peanut….

 **TOUMA:** [blinks] Your name is Peanut?

 **PEANUT?:** [shifts weight] Um...I go by Peanut….

 **PEANUT:** But my name-name is Ayumi. Okawa!

 **PEANUT:** [looking up; grinning] And I'm Super, too! I'm a runner! Distance runner!

AYUMI OKAWA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL DISTANCE RUNNER

 **TOUMA:** [smiles; holds up hand] It's nice to meet you, Miss Peanut.

 **PEANUT:** [frowns] Did you get hurt?

 **TOUMA:** Hm?

 **PEANUT:** [crossing arms] There's blood on your hands!

 _Ah, shit. I really did need to wash them, and soon. Before I could get out an apology, Peanut turned on her heel._

 **PEANUT:** Band-aids! Band-aids!

 _And she immediately took off, sprinting down the hallway in the direction Shizuku had taken earlier. Speaking of—Shizuku darted past me, too, calling out worriedly and following Peanut over the bodies and around a bend in the hallway. I was a bit surprised that Shizuku seemed able to match Peanut's speed._

 **?:**...Hey….

 _Ah, shit! Where were my manners today?! The other girl still stood in the hallway with me; I turned to her sheepishly._

 _Her hair had been tamed somewhat and was pulled out of her face by a red bandana that matched her flannel. Her eyes were a startlingly bright hazel against her dark brown skin, and I found myself frozen by their piercing stare until she shifted her gaze to the floor._

 **?:** [softly] I heard you introduce yourself. So you don't need to worry about that. Should I….Do you want to hear about me?

 **TOUMA:** Oh! Of course! May I ask your name?

 **?:** Yes, you may.

 **KIKI:** I'm Kiki Eki….My first name is Heikichi. But please, call me Kiki. Super High School Level Cartomancer.

HEIKICHI EKI — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CARTOMANCER

 **TOUMA:** Oh, that sounds neat!

 **TOUMA:** [awkwardly] Can I ask what it means…?

 _Kiki averted her eyes again and was quiet for a while. When she spoke again, her voice was thin and weak._

 **KIKI:** I practice divination. With cards. Like tarot.

 **TOUMA:** So you're a psychic?

 _As soon as I asked that, I realized it probably wasn't the right thing to say. Kiki hunched her shoulders and pursed her lips._

 **KIKI:** Not exactly. They're different fields.

 **KIKI:** [relaxing slightly] If we find a deck of cards in here, I can show you what I do.

 **TOUMA:** That would be neat! Thank you for the offer.

 **KIKI:** ….

 **TOUMA:** ….

 **KIKI:** ….

 **TOUMA:** ...Would you like to come look around with me—?

 **KIKI:** [practically interrupting] Yes. Please.

 _I offered her a smile. She seemed nice, though clearly on-edge._

 **TOUMA:** Alright! If you follow me down this way, we can check out this passageway I found.

 **KIKI:** ….

 **TOUMA:** ….

 _She wasn't really one for conversation, huh._

 _I quickly walked back down the hallway, leading Kiki to the passage I'd found. Where I had eyed it warily, she apparently saw no reason to hesitate; she walked in without so much as glancing around. I followed her in, trying to ignore the feeling of fearful thoughts and negative possibilities rising around me, threatening to choke me, clouding my vision—_

 **KIKI:** It's dark here.

 **TOUMA:** [starting] Huh? ...Oh. Yeah, it is. I mean, yes.

 _Kiki slowed down a bit, and I briefly thought she was going to turn back to me and ask me what was wrong._

 _She didn't, though._

 _In what seemed to take mere seconds compared to the minutes I'd spent here earlier, Kiki and I reached a door that was already cracked open._

 **KIKI:** ….

 **TOUMA:**...Would you like for me to open it, ma'am?

 **KIKI:** Don't...don't call me that. Please. And yes.

 **TOUMA:** I'm very sorry, ah, Kiki! Forgive me.

 _I mourned my loss of tact and then walked forward, pushing open the door in front of us. It was dimly lit inside, casting light into the passageway, and opened to reveal a supply room. I glanced over it, not sure what I was looking for, but my eyes landed on a first-aid kit._

 **TOUMA:** [loudly] Finally! Thank goodness.

 _Kiki flinched beside me, and I threw another apology her way, more focused on being able to clean my hands._

 _Kiki watched disinterestedly as I poured some disinfectant on my wounds, dabbed them with gauze, and wrapped them up._

 **KIKI:** Where'd you learn that?

 **TOUMA:** [looking up] Learn what?

 **KIKI:** How to clean up blood. And bandage cuts. That was fast.

 **TOUMA:** I've had to help out customers before! Never anything too serious, but when you're working in public service, it helps to know how to patch some stuff up.

 **TOUMA:** [putting first-aid kit away] And I have four older siblings, so I've learned to take care of scrapes and bruises. They're not exactly tame when it comes to rough-housing.

 **TOUMA:** [smiling lightly] So, if you ever need my help with anything, I'd be more than happy to oblige, m—Kiki.

Kiki looked down at her own hands briefly, though for what reason, I couldn't fathom.

 **KIKI:** [closes eyes] ….

 _She was silent for a moment, looking lost in thought. Was she—was she okay?_

 _Finally, she opened them, though she still wouldn't look me in the eye._

 **KIKI:** Thank you.

 **TOUMA:** No problem!

 _After putting the first-aid kit back where I'd found it, I wondered if it might be wiser to take it back with me. It could be useful to have on-hand, I figured. Hopefully Kiki wouldn't find my indecision weird; she didn't comment on it as I picked back up the kit, at least. I glanced around the room again, looking for anything else immediately useful._

 _There were two rather large carts, one filled with cleaning supplies and the other empty; a few more first-aid kits; a large number of towels, most of which were white or beige; toilet paper, soap…._

 _Hm. I moved closer to the toiletries and confirmed what I'd thought: the soap was individually wrapped. And nearby were small bottles labeled as shampoo and body wash._

 **TOUMA:** Hey, Kiki.

 **KIKI:** Hm…?

 **TOUMA:** Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Like, a big chain hotel.

 **KIKI:** No.

 _Well, that was blunt enough. I hadn't stayed in one either, never had a reason to; but what I was looking at seemed to point in that direction._

 _Oh, and the number of rooms that lined a long, thin hallway. Duh._

 **TOUMA:** I think we might be in one—that's why I asked.

 **KIKI:** [skeptically] In a hotel? My...I couldn't afford to stay in a hotel. And. If this were a hotel, where are all the people? The staff?

 _I began to sigh at having my one theory so preemptively shot down, but then I stopped myself._

 **TOUMA:** Wait—no matter where we are, we're alone, right?

 **KIKI:**...Did you not see the twelve other bodies in the hallway?

 **TOUMA:** [clears throat] I meant the sixteen of us, we're alone. Me, you, Shizuku, and Peanut; and the twelve people who are unconscious.

 **KIKI:** Are you sure they're just unconscious?

 **TOUMA:** Well, we're just gonna have to pretend like that's the case for now, aren't we?

 _I responded quicker than I meant to, with a much snappier tone than I had any right to take. I immediately felt shame and guilt well up in my throat._

 **TOUMA:** [hurriedly] I'm so, so sorry; I didn't mean—

 _Despite my rudeness, Kiki seemed unresponsive. Maybe she hadn't taken offense, and now I just looked stupid…? No, even if she wasn't bothered, it was still my duty to make my own mistake known; she deserved an apology whether or not she would ask for one._

 **KIKI:** It's fine, Touma.

 _She cast a glance around the room, then pointed to a shelf, higher up._

 **KIKI:** What are those?

 _I followed her finger, craning my neck. The lighting in the room made further-away things hard to see, but I thought I could make out…._

 **TOUMA:** Is that a knife?!

 **KIKI:** It looks like it. But it might just be something made to look like one. But still, I thought I should point it out.

 **TOUMA:** Jeez, yeah! Thank you. We really should keep our eyes on that stuff, right, Kiki? This could be really dangerous if someone wasn't careful.

 _I saw Kiki nod, but otherwise she stayed unresponsive._

 _There wasn't much else of note in the room, so Kiki and I made our way back through the passageway. I didn't think I could ever walk through it without getting an unpleasant feeling in my gut._

 _Back in the main hallway, I began to make my way back to the middle where the unconscious people still lay, but Kiki hummed behind me._

 **KIKI:** Touma, did you see this?

 _I looked back, and she stood in front of another door, one that at first I took to match all the others in the hallway, as it had looked to be similarly numbered—or re-numbered, since it followed the theme of looking as though it had been edited._

 _But as I looked closer from Kiki's prompting, I saw that this door wasn't labeled with a number. It was labeled "KITCHEN."_

 **KIKI:** Should we check this out?

 _I hesitated. We had been gone for a while, and I wanted to go check back on everyone to see if—_

 **?:** [distant] Hello? Is anyone awake?

 _Kiki made a face._

 **KIKI:** Is this going to be happening a lot?

 **TOUMA:** [faux-cheerful] Seems that way! Come on, Kiki, let's head back.

 **TOUMA:** [calling] Yes! A few of us have woken up, please don't panic! We're on our way!

 _With Kiki following behind me at a much slower pace, I quickly encountered the newest person to wake up. I realized he was rather tall. Very tall. Oh my._

 _He looked at me and smiled, his eyes crinkling behind his glasses. He had a large nose and bushy eyebrows and was wearing only a tight, gray tank top._

 _I forced my eyes back to his face._

 **TOUMA:** [holding out hand] Hello, sir, my name is Touma.

 **TOUMA:** [gestures backward] This is Kiki! Neither of us knows where we are or what's going on, before you ask. I'm sorry. I don't suppose you happen to have any clue?

 **?:** [smiling softly; shaking hands] Heh, no, I do not. My apologies as well, Touma.

 **OZ:** My name is Oz Santana. The only clue I can offer for why I may have been kidnapped, as the situation appears to indicate right now, is that I am the Super High School Level Computer Programmer. I have gotten threats online before—who hasn't?—but I never thought anything so serious could happen.

OZ SANTANA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL COMPUTER PROGRAMMER

 **OZ:** [looking up] The last thing I remember is walking up to Hope's Peak with my partner. Does that help at all?

 _Partner? Did he mean it romantically, or was it something job-related? It wouldn't surprise me if he were taken, honestly._

 **TOUMA:** It might! You see, Kiki and I have Super High School Level talents, too. I'm a barista and she's a—cartomancer, right?

 _I glanced back at her, and she nodded. Neither of our talents sounded particularly useful next to Oz's, but it was important to share all the information we had with each other so that everyone was on the same page._

 _After his explanation, I noticed that he had a bit of an accent. It didn't sound like Japanese was his first language, and his name lent some—though entirely circumstantial—evidence to that theory. It wasn't my place to pry into his personal life, though._

 **TOUMA:** And everyone else who's woken up has attended Hope's Peak, too!

 **OZ:** [surprised] Really…? Then that could very well be the reason we have been gathered here; it may have something to do with our talents, if this pattern continues, and each of us ends up having a Super High School Level talent.

 **KIKI:**..."Gathered" is one way of putting it.

 **OZ:** Heh, I suppose our circumstances seem much more forced than that word would imply.

 **TOUMA:** [clears throat] Kiki and I have been exploring this area. Two other girls, Peanut and Shizuku, are checking out the other end of the hallway. Would you want to join us?

 **OZ:** [smiles; holds up hands] No, thank you. I am still gathering my bearings. I would like to take some time to rest….

 _He trailed off, again noticing that most of the hallway was covered with bodies._

 **OZ:**...Hm.

 **TOUMA:** There are rooms! Some of them are locked, but you can definitely check out some of the open ones and look for a place to rest.

 **OZ:** That sounds like a viable plan. Could you show me an open room?

 _After a bit of trial and error, I found a nearby unlocked room and opened the door. Inside was a bed, a nightstand, a lamp, a dresser, and some other light furnishment._

 **KIKI:**...You might be right about that hotel thing, Touma.

 **OZ:** [frowns; scratches chin] Hotel? You believe we have been taken to a hotel?

 **TOUMA:** It was just a guess, but I could see it being an option! I wouldn't rule out anything, and I was mostly just throwing out ideas, so it's really still anyone's guess.

 **OZ:** [moving into room] Do not discard that guess yet. It seems possible, absolutely, but I would have one question.

 **OZ:** [turns around; crosses arms] Why are we not in a lobby? This is a floor above it, at least, as there does not seem to be any ground-level entrance.

 _I blinked. He was right. There was no way Shizuku wouldn't have told me if she'd found something as important as a lobby or a front desk. I felt confusion gnaw at me, threatening to grow into something worse. My palms started to sweat a bit._

 **?:** Touma?

 _There was nothing we could do here. There was nowhere to go. Where was everyone else? Where was an adult? Where were my parents?! My sister, my brothers, my friends? Were they okay? Where were they? Where was I?!_

 _What the fuck was I supposed to do?!_

 **?:** [sternly] Touma.

 _My breath caught in my throat—had I been hyperventilating? How embarrassing, how pathetic—why couldn't I ground myself?!_

 _I felt something touch my shoulder—both shoulders—who was that? I blinked and tears fell from my eyes. Oh._

 _I took a deep, deep, deep breath; I breathed out, out, out._

 **?:** Are you counting? Can you count to ten for me?

 **TOUMA:** [shakily] One, two. Three, four. Five. Six seven eight nine ten.

 **?:** Perfect. Thank you, you are doing great. Can you do it again?

 **TOUMA:** [evenly] One, two, three, four, five...six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

 **?:** Very good, chulo! Now, could you try looking at me? It is alright if you cannot.

 _I breathed in again and looked up into Oz's eyes. He'd leaned over and was rubbing my shoulders gently. When my eyes could focus again, he leaned back and gave me a smile._

 **OZ:** Are we good?

 **TOUMA:** [stiffly] Yes, sir.

 **OZ:** [cocks head] You do not need to be too formal with me. If you want to, that is okay, but do not force yourself.

 _I swallowed thickly, trying to covertly grab my napkin._

 **TOUMA:** Yes, sir.

 _Oz backed away and I brought my napkin to my eyes, wiping at them. I could feel my face burning bright red in embarrassment._

 **TOUMA:** I'm very sorry. I got a little bit overwhelmed there.

 **OZ:** It is more than okay. Is there anything I can do for you?

 **TOUMA:** [putting napkin away] I'm alright. So, you wanted to rest, right?

 **OZ:** Yes, but...you are welcome to stay in here with me if you needed some company.

 **TOUMA:** [voice cracking] No, but thank you very much! I should keep looking around, but thank you.

 **OZ:** [ruffling Touma's hair] Of course. I will be here if you need me.

 _I resolutely ignored how flustered I felt, and turned back to Kiki. She'd been standing in the doorway and I was surprised to see that she actually looked worried. I gestured into the hallway and the two of us walked back out; I closed Oz's door gently behind me._

 _Kiki kept glancing at me worriedly until I finally sighed._

 **TOUMA:** I really am fine, okay?

 _Though the slight shakiness in my voice didn't exactly help my case._

 **KIKI:** I believe you. Sorta. Not really. But I trust that you're close enough to okay to say that.

 _I laughed shallowly. I didn't know why realizations kept hitting me so hard—just remembering how confusing this whole situation was, trying to keep myself calm when dealing with so many strangers, not knowing where I was or how to contact my family. It was terrifying. And I know I shouldn't be blaming myself for freaking out so badly, but...I couldn't help but feel weak for it._

 **KIKI:**...Hey. Do you mind if I rest, too?

 **TOUMA:** Hm? Oh, not at all!

 _We quickly found another unlocked room, and Kiki hesitated before closing her door._

 **KIKI:** You're allowed to take a break, too, Touma. You don't need to push yourself.

 **TOUMA:** Um...yeah, Kiki. Thank you.

 _She closed her door and I was again left to my own devices._

 _I ran a hand over my face, exhausted. Maybe I should take Kiki's advice and find a room of my own to rest in. It wasn't my responsibility to survey this whole place; and besides, Shizuku seemed to have a pretty good handle on things. I doubted that I would be able to relax very much, but…._

 _I walked across the hall and opened a door._

 _The room was almost identical to the two that Oz and Kiki had claimed, with only some slight differences. The carpet was thick underneath my shoes and I was tempted to take them off, but I wanted to investigate the room before I tried out the bed._

 _The bed was covered in a deep red comforter with thick, comfortable-looking pillows. If this wasn't a hotel, then it was surprisingly Western. At that idea, I realized that I didn't even know if I was in Japan._

 _I quickly tried not to think about it._

 _The nightstand next to the bed sported a lamp, plugged into a nearby outlet, but no landline. In front of the bed was a stand with drawers and a small TV on top, beside which was a dresser—empty. The TV stand's drawers were heavier when I moved them, signaling that something was inside. I held my breath as I slid the top one open._

 _...A phonebook._

 _I closed the drawer in annoyance._

 _The middle drawer was empty, but the bottom drawer opened to reveal a few odds and ends: a lighter, a length of rope, a power strip, a pair of scissors, and a bottle of hand sanitizer. It was an interesting choice of items to put inside a room like this. At least there was hand sanitizer—cleanliness was always important. Oh, that reminded me!_

 _I took the first-aid kit out of one of my pockets and put it in the drawer. There, now the drawer felt much more useful._

 _There wasn't much else to see in the room, but I noticed that one of the walls held a door. It wasn't overt, nearly blending into the wall, but it was definitely there. It opened easily, and on the other side was a bathroom: mostly unremarkable, though again, very Western. An en suite? This **had** to be a hotel. But Oz's question popped back into my mind; why weren't we in a lobby? Why were we **up** somewhere?_

 _I closed the door to the bathroom, suddenly exhausted. There wasn't much else to see, so I—_

 **?:** FUCK! THE FUCK?!

 _Oh no._

 _I quickly ran back into the hallway to see who the next—_ **  
****  
****?:** HELP! Hello?! WHO THE FUCK DID THIS?! SHOW YOURSELF!

 _A somewhat short, fatter boy was pressed up against the wall, hands balled into fists. As soon as he saw me, he raised his voice even more like he was trying to set off an alarm._

 **?:** I SEE YOU! Don't fucking move! Stay right there!

 **TOUMA:** Ah, hey! Sir, I don't—

 **?:** Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! The fuck's going on?! Where the hell am I?! Who are all these people?! Did you kill them! Ha, well you couldn't kill me! You—you—!

 **TOUMA:** [forcefully] HEY! Excuse me! I just woke up, too!

 **?:** [freezing] ….

 **TOUMA:** I'm Touma Sashi, sir. Pardon me, but we really—

 _The guy screamed at the top of his lungs._

 _Kiki and Oz came sprinting out of their rooms and I heard more footsteps coming our way—Peanut and Shizuku._

 **SHIZUKU:** [running in] What is going on here?!

 **?:** [frenzied] The hell am I?! The hell are all of you?

 **PEANUT:** [yelling] Stop yelling!

 **OZ:** [echoing] Hush!

 **?:** [eyes wide] ….

 _Everyone fell silent in the wake of Oz's forceful exclamation._

 **OZ:** [gently] Hello. My name is Oz Santana. I do not know what's going on, nor does anyone else. And you are…?

 _The guy mumbled something inaudible—though I got the impression that whatever he was saying was rather rude—and narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms._

 **TAROU:** Name's Tarou Kuroda, and I'll have y'all know that I'm the Super High School Level Baker, so whoever y'are, I'm more important than you.

TAROU KURODA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BAKER

 **SHIZUKU:** Actually, Mr. Kuroda, all of us are Super High School Levels, too! My name is Shizuku Nokota.

 **SHIZUKU:** [flips hair over shoulder; sharply] You are not special right now.

 **TAROU:** [snidely] Really? And what's your talent, missy?

 **SHIZUKU:** W-well, I—I cannot quite re-remember, actually...but I know that I must have one!

 _Tarou laughed loudly and snidely. I wasn't optimistic about my feelings toward him._

 **TAROU:** Are you kidding me? How pathetic. What a stupid attempt at—

 **OZ:** Ahem. I am the Super High School Level Computer Programmer.

 **PEANUT:** Me too! Not computers—I'm a distance runner!

 **KIKI:** Cartomancer.

 **TOUMA:** Barista.

 **?:** Golfer.

 _All of us started at the sudden new voice. I couldn't tell where it was coming from until I saw a head of dark red hair moving near the far edge of the group of bodies._

 **?:** [blinks innocently] Oh, am I not supposed to be awake yet?

 **?:** [grins widely] Haha, well, I am! So sorry to startle you.

 **JIN:** I'm sure you know who I am. I just had an interview, even if they spelled my name wrong. Oh, right, my name! Jin Jinai, of course. Or Nobuo Jinai, but please don't worry about calling me that.

NOBUO JINAI — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL GOLFER

 **JIN:** [standing up] They spelled my name as "Nubuo," can you believe it? No wonder I dropped that name! How unfortunate, right?

 **KIKI:** ….

 **TOUMA:** ….

 **SHIZUKU:** ….

 **PEANUT:** You seem like a jerk!

 _Peanut's blunt comment startled a laugh out of Tarou, but he quickly tried to cover it. I couldn't blame him, though; this guy, Jin, had his hair pulled up in a ponytail and was wearing what seemed to be cuffs on both his arms. He **did** seem like a jerk._

 **TAROU:** Alright, alright, I don't care if every single one of you has some weak-ass talent—I'm not gonna deal with this. How do I get out? Where am I?

 **OZ:** To reiterate, none of us know.

 **OZ:** [sighs] And I am much too tired to deal with this for much longer. I will be in this room if you need me, but please don't bother me unless it'sserious.

 **OZ:** [looking across hallway] Though, that includes anything you need, Touma. Just ask.

 **TOUMA:** [voice cracking] Thank you, sir!

 _Oz retreated into his room, Kiki silently doing the same. Tarou grumbled something again and straightened out his clothes._

 **SHIZUKU:** [imperiously] Mr. Kuroda, we are currently investigating our situation. Would you care to help out?

 **SHIZUKU:** [hesitantly] A-and you, too, Mr. Jinai.

 **JIN:** Aw, so formal!

 **JIN:** [flips ponytail] No need for all that, promise. Hm! How's about I just make myself scarce? I can take care of myself, promise.

 **PEANUT:** That sounds good!

 **PEANUT:** [running up to Touma] Hey, hey! I couldn't find any band-aids, I'm sorry.

 **TOUMA:** [smiling] It's okay, Miss Peanut. I found some on my own! See?

 _I held out my hands for her inspection. She grabbed one in her own and shook it with surprising force. I laughed silently at the fact that she wanted to shake hands, but I had to admit that it made me happy._

 **PEANUT:** So, me and Shizuku found some doors, and a dining room with a TV, and an elevator—but it doesn't work, which is annoying—and some vending machines and stuff like that.

 **TOUMA:** Really? That's very impressive!

 **PEANUT:** [grinning] …!

 _After Tarou's...introduction, I doubted I'd be able to rest. It would be wiser to put my energy to good use._

 **TOUMA:** I found a storage room, and I'm about to go investigate a kitchen. Would you like to come with me?

 **PEANUT:** [nods quickly] Mm!

 **TAROU:** [interrupting] Kitchen? Kh, guess I should come along.

 **JIN:** Ooo, kitchen trip? Here's hoping we find plenty to eat! I'd really hate to starve to death.

 _My enthusiasm for this trip suddenly diminished._

 **PEANUT:** [tugging at hat] Both of you seem kinda mean….

 **JIN:** Aw, you really think so? I'm not mean!

 **TAROU:** [harshly] Well, I'm not in the mood to pretend like I'm not fucking pissed! I'm so sorry if that upsets you.

 **TAROU:** [to Touma] Now where the hell's this kitchen?

 _Reluctantly, I led the two of them, plus Peanut, down the hallway. Tarou briefly pushed against the fire exit before giving up in disgust, whereas Jin seemed to take interest in each door that we passed, not caring that they all seemed to be clones. When I pushed open the door to the room labeled "KITCHEN," Peanut slid in past me, hurrying into the room and quickly widened her eyes._

 **PEANUT:** Whoa!

 _It was an appropriate reaction. I surveyed the frankly ridiculously large kitchen. There were at least two stovetops and ovens, both bigger than any I'd ever seen, and a gigantic fridge._

 _Tarou pushed around me, running first toward two doors that looked to open to a pantry._

 **TAROU:** Holy hell!

 _From behind him, I could see that the pantry was stocked, full of canned foods, rice, flour, sugar, cereal, bread, and plenty of other things that I couldn't take in at a glance._

 **JIN:** [from fridge] Oh! Looks like we won't be starving! For a while, at least.

 _And apparently, the fridge was the same._

 **PEANUT:** [pumping fist] Yay!

 **JIN:** [amused] Yay indeed, kiddo.

 **PEANUT:** [stomps foot] I'm not a kid! I'm eighteen!

 _From the corner of my eye, I saw Jin's movements pause, then he nodded._

 **JIN:** Fair enough, adult-o.

 **PEANUT:** [sticks tongue out] Thank you.

 **TAROU:** What-the-hell-ever, stop messing around! The both of you are pissing me off. If y'aren't gonna be serious about this, then get outta my kitchen.

 **TOUMA:** Your kitchen?

 **TAROU:** [turns on heel; sharply] Y'want me to have a problem with you, too?

 _I felt anxiety rise in my throat, but I bit it down._

 **TOUMA:** No, sir, but—

 **TAROU:** "Sir"?! The hell is that supposed to mean?!

 **TOUMA:** Mean? It—It doesn't mean anything; I'm just trying to be polite. And I was saying that—

 **TAROU:** Did it occur to you that I don't care what you're saying?

 **TOUMA:** [shakily] It did, but I still think—

 _I felt something tug my sleeve, and I nearly jumped. Peanut was grabbing my sleeve, and though she didn't look me in the eye, I could still tell that she was frowning at me._

 **PEANUT:** ….

 **TOUMA:** [to her] Yes, Miss Peanut?

 **PEANUT:** [tugging at Touma's sleeve] ….

 **TOUMA:** [takes a deep breath; to Tarou] I'll—I'll leave you to inspect the food. Does that sound agreeable?

 **TAROU:** [eyebrows raised] ...It does.

 **TOUMA:** I guess...let me know if you need if something. Otherwise, I'm going to look around some more.

 **TAROU:** [back turned] Whatever.

 _My hands may have been shaking, but at least that encounter had ended. I let out a breath. Peanut was still by my side; I didn't think she was in the mood to talk, so I left her be. If she needed something, I figured she would tug my sleeve again._

 _Entirely tired of Tarou, I moved over to Jin. I hadn't noticed until just now, but he had two...no, three scars on his face; one on one cheek, and two on the other. They looked rather old, but I wasn't exactly a competent judge of something like that. Oddly, him having his hair pulled back really emphasized the scars—I wondered why he wore his hair in a ponytail if that was the case._

 **JIN:** Hell- _o_ Sashi, Okawa! Done dealing with that choleric baker?

 **TOUMA:** You could say that.

 **JIN:** Mm, I cannot say I blame you! But I think he's fun enough, huh?

 **TOUMA:**...You could say that.

 _Jin practically threw back his head as he laughed, closing the fridge and then leaning against it._

 **JIN:** You're so funny, Sashi!

 **JIN:** [gasps] May I call you Touma?

 **TOUMA:** Um, yeah, of course! Most of us have been shaken up enough that we've been dropping formalities.

 **JIN:** Shaken up…? Aw, haven't been kidnapped before? Everyone has a first time!

 _I started, opening and closing my mouth a few times in shock. I am **fairly** confident that most people don't experience kidnapping, but even then—!_

 **TOUMA:** You've been kidnapped?!

 **JIN:** [rubs cheek] Mmm.

 _I...didn't really know what to say to that. It was a bit non-committal, but I still couldn't quite tell if he was joking. Were his scars from some sort of horrible kidnapping event in his life?!_

 **TOUMA:** Ah, um...yeah! Anyways, are you done looking around the kitchen, or…?

 **JIN:** [grinning] Ha, sure! There's plenty of food in here, even if I don't know what some of it is!

 _The rest of the kitchen wasn't too noteworthy; it was clearly meant to have multiple cooks in here, serving large groups of people. There were two sinks, both bone-dry—hadn't been used in a while—and equally dry washcloths and utensils, including plenty of kitchen knives. That wasn't at all unusual, but it did remind me of what Kiki had pointed out in the supply room. I hadn't seen them well, but they didn't seem to match the look of any of these knives….Where else would they have come from, though? And why were there knives in a storage room in the first place?_

 **JIN:** Hm, wonder what's through that door?

 _Following his line of sight, I saw two doors that with translucent windows on them; I had a pretty good guess of what was on the other side, and after walking through them (Peanut close by my side), I found I was right._

 _A rather spacious dining area greeted us, occupied primarily by a large, round table in the center of the room. On the far wall was a TV, so high up, it practically on the ceiling and entirely out of reach. There were a few smaller tables on the edge of the room, and against the left wall was what looked to be a buffet-area. Maybe we'd get lucky and a Super High School Level Cook would wake up; otherwise, all that'd fill that buffet would be pastries and drinks._

 _I paused, realizing that I was thinking as though we'd be here for a long time, and quickly pushed those thoughts out of my head. We'd realize what was going on soon! Maybe Shizuku could find a phone somewhere and we could call the police—that is, as long as no one suddenly knew how to get us out of here. Hopefully, someone could break down the fire exit or fix the elevator that Peanut had mentioned._

 _While I was lost in thought, another door to the kitchen opened, and in walked three new people: one short, plump girl with long, curly black hair; a rather tall woman with stark white hair and pale skin; and a nervous-looking boy with yellow hair and a messenger bag._

 _The black-haired girl spoke first, bouncing up to Peanut, Jin, and I._

 **?:** Hiya! You three been awake for long?

 **TOUMA:** I was the first to wake up, actually, but Peanut was a bit more recent.

 **?:** [gasps] Peanut ? Oh my goodness, who is Peanut!

 _I gestured to her, as it seemed she still wasn't in the mood to talk. I noticed that this girl wasn't much taller than Peanut, honestly._

 **TOUMA:** My name is Touma Sashi, and I'm—

 **?:** Ohhh, you're Touma! I know about you!

 **KINJI:** [pointing thumb at self] I'm Kinji Anzai, and I'm the Super High School Level Matchmaker! Super lovely to meet you, Touma!

KINJI ANZAI — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL MATCHMAKER

 **TOUMA:** It's nice to meet you too, ma'am.

 **KINJI:** [giggles into hand] Aw, Shizuku was so right! You are so sweet!

 **TOUMA:** [clears throat awkwardly] Thank you, ma'am. And who are your friends?

 **KINJI:** [pantomimes gagging] Friends? Jeez, Touma, you sound like a kid! I just met these people, ha!

 **KINJI:** [conspiratorially] But I do really like Kazuo. Don't tell him!

 **TOUMA:** Oh, um, will do, ma'am.

 _Kinji giggled again and then waved behind her._

 **KINJI:** Kazuo, c'mere!

 _The anxious boy walked over, fiddling with the ends of his rather bright hair. He had glasses, too, that hung on the edge of his nose, and a prominent overbite._

 **KINJI:** This is Kazuo! He's really nice, I promise! And super cool!

 **KAZUO:** …

 **KAZUO:** Thanks, Kinji...um, yeah.

 **KAZUO:** [bowing] T-Touma, right? I'm Kazuo Okamura, and I'm th-the Super High School Level Tutor. I've heard ab-about you from Oz, and, um, he said that you were really kind so I w-wanted to say...um, hi.

KAZUO OKAMURA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TUTOR

 _A tutor? With a stutter that bad?_

 _...That was rude, I admonished myself. Clearly, the guy has talent, and he's good at what he does. Maybe he just gets nervous around new people._

 **TOUMA:** [bowing] Well, hello to you too, sir! I hope Oz hasn't been gossiping too much.

 _Kazuo laughed a bit stiffly, and I left him and Kinji to introduce themselves to Jin. I didn't need to hear **his** bombastic introduction, whatever that would entail._

 _The last person, the white-haired woman, had taken a seat at one of the smaller tables. I walked over to her, Peanut trailing behind me._

 **TOUMA:** Hello, ma'am. My name is Touma Sashi, and this is Peanut Okawa. I'm the Super—

 **?:** [interrupting] Pardon me. "Peanut"? What, exactly, does that mean?

 **PEANUT:** [tugs at hat] ….

 _I wasn't sure if I was meant to give her birth name, as she seemed to prefer her nickname. I was about to ask Peanut what she'd like me to do when she spoke up._

 **PEANUT:** [mumbling] You can call me Ayumi if you need to.

 **?:** Please speak up. I cannot make out a word you're saying.

 **PEANUT:** [takes a deep breath] Ayumi.

 **?:** Thank you. It's a pleasure, Ayumi Okawa. Are you comfortable shaking hands?

 _I was a bit surprised at the question, and it seemed Peanut was, too. She looked up at the woman from under the brim of her hat, then nodded, and the two shook hands with a surprisingly business-like aura._

 **PEANUT:** I like your voice. What's your name?

 **NORIKO:** Thank you, Okawa. It is Noriko Hakariya. It seems most people are set on introducing themselves by their talents as well, so I will follow suit. I am the Super High School Level Paralegal.

NORIKO HAKARIYA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL PARALEGAL

 **NORIKO:** And before you ask, I pride myself on being age seventeen. I am not in my twenties or my sixties, as those seem to be common "jokes" thrown my way. And yes, a paralegal is "like a lawyer," though I assure you, there is more to what I do than compare myself to vague terms.

 **NORIKO:** Now, do you have any questions? And Sashi, I apologize for conversing primarily with Okawa.

 **TOUMA:** No, ma'am; and it's fine. Thank you for the introduction.

 **NORIKO:** [nodding] Of course. Thank you both for being bearable. May we end this exchange?

 _That was a bit rude, but she was better than Tarou._

 **TOUMA:** Yes, ma'am. Have a good day.

 _She nodded again at the two of us and went back to focusing on herself. Like this—legs crossed, posture perfect, hair flowing down her back—she was strikingly beautiful. I was belatedly relieved that she wasn't as forward and friendly as Kinji; it'd have been much harder to keep my composure if she were any less distant._

 _I wanted to go back to Kinji and Kazuo, but I suddenly noticed that Peanut wasn't by my side anymore._

 _I glanced around and quickly saw that she'd taken the seat across from Noriko and was sitting at the table with her. Neither of them was speaking, but Peanut looked comfortable enough, so I didn't worry about them. Peanut seemed to be a rather competent judge of character, and if she wanted to hang out with Noriko, then I trusted that she knew what she was doing._

 **JIN:** Touma, Touma!

 _And back to this, I suppose._

 **JIN:** [hands on cheeks] Touma, you're never gonna believe what Kinji told me!

 **TOUMA:** What's that?

 **JIN:** [cupping hands around mouth] She's seen me on TV! Isn't that just amazing?

 **JIN:** [clutching chest] It makes my heart flutter! To have a fan, even in a situation as dire as this!

 **TOUMA:** What makes you think this is dire?

 **JIN:** Hah, what kidnapping situation isn't at least somewhat dire, I'd ask? Especially when it's on such a scale and targeted towards such talent!

 **JIN:** But that's not what's important, Touma. I think Kinji is rather star-struck! She knows who so many people are, it's admirable! She's confirmed to me that we're all—or were all meant to be—classmates! How fun is that? A Hope's Peak introduction in such a place….So unique, don't you think?

 **TOUMA:** Mm, yeah, I guess it is! I'd much rather be at Hope's Peak right now, though.

 **KINJI:** [overhearing] Hm? You're talking about that?

 **KINJI:** [crossing arms] Ugh, I know, right! I've been keeping myself updated for months now on my classmates and teachers and courses, and then I just wake up on the floor of some hallway, and it's not even inside Hope's Peak. It's so undignified. Plus, I'd been really excited to hone my skills with my classmates!

 **TOUMA:** Your...matchmaking skills, right?

 **KINJI:** Yep! I wanna make friends and help other people make friends! And couples, too, if anyone is interested in that. But figuring out couples takes a lot more work, so I'm ready to match some friends together!

 **KINJI:** [waving hands] Oh, Touma, did you know what Kazuo has been tutoring since he was nine years old? Isn't that amazing! And Jin has been in tons of competitions and won practically all of them. It's so awesome!

 **KINJI:** [blushing] I'm sorry to say I don't know much about you or Shizuku or Kiki...but I'm hoping to change that! I'd love to learn more about you and if you ever want to talk, maybe over coffee or something—you don't even have to make it, hehe!—then just let me know and we can hang out. 'Cuz like, really, if we're gonna be here for long, then maybe we can just start getting to know one another! Not that I know how long we're gonna be here, but it's best to assume the worst, y'know? That's what I think, anyway.

 _Kinji kept talking, her words swimming through my head as I struggled to keep up. She was an incredibly fast talker, and I felt bad for anyone working in customer service who'd had to listen to her—not maliciously, just knowing how difficult it could be to help someone who rambles so speedily._

 **KINJI:**...Anyways, I'm gonna go look around some more!

 **KINJI:** [winks] See ya, Touma!

 _With that, Kinji turned on her heel and bounced into the kitchen, and Jin made his way over to Peanut and Noriko._

 _God, finally._

 _She seemed nice, just...fast-paced. I needed a moment to breathe after listening to her talk for so long._

 _Kazuo, who'd been standing a bit to the side, met my eyes and smiled nervously._

 **KAZUO:** She's, um...I like her, but she's really talkative.

 **TOUMA:** She certainly is, but that's preferable to some of the other people I've had to deal with.

 **KAZUO:** Really? I-I hope no one is too bad.

 **TOUMA:** [huffs] Well, steer clear of Kuroda, the baker. It's like he wants to be as uncooperative as he possibly can be.

 **TOUMA:**...I shouldn't have said that; that was rude.

 **KAZUO:** Oh, it's fine! Um….

 **KAZUO:** Touma, would you like to have a seat with me?

 _I supposed I might as well; as much as I wanted to keep investigating, it wouldn't hurt to take a break, especially if Kazuo wanted someone to talk to._

 _We sat across from each other at one of the smaller tables, one that was built for two people. For a moment, neither of us spoke, but Kazuo visibly relaxed, and eventually looked up at me with a small smile._

 **KAZUO:** Thank you. I apologize if it was rude of me to corner you, in a sense, but I know that if I had sat down by myself, some well-meaning person would have come along and tried to keep me company.

 **TOUMA:** It's no issue! I'm happy to help.

 **KAZUO:** So, Kinji said that you're a barista, right?

 **TOUMA:** [awkwarly] Ah, that's right, yes.

 **KAZUO:** [resting chin on hand] You don't seem particularly proud of it.

 **TOUMA:** Well, it's not exactly impressive, especially compared to the talents of some of the others.

 _I trailed off, but Kazuo stayed silent, and I felt prompted to elaborate._

 **TOUMA:** So many of these skills take an incredible amount of talent and technique, usually years of training, and sometimes you just need innate skill. That's not something that can be taught.

 **TOUMA:** [gesturing widely] A barista, though? Everyone could be one if they wanted to be.

 **KAZUO:** [pushes up glasses] But no other barista is a Super High School Level. That's just you.

 **TOUMA:** I suppose, but...should there even be a Super High School Level Barista?

 _Again, Kazuo was silent, so I continued._

 **TOUMA:** I guess I'm good at what I do—I know I am—but I guess it just doesn't feel noteworthy to me.

 **KAZUO:** It wouldn't be fair if one's talents were judged by oneself; that leads to an inherent talent is still a talent, no matter your personal feelings on the matter.

 _This time, I was silent. I...hadn't even realized until just then that Kazuo's stutter was completely gone. Maybe he was just nervous before—that had to be the case—because he was decidedly eloquent now. I even felt bad for doubting that he would make a good tutor._

 **KAZUO:** [leans back in chair; smiling] I hope I didn't overstep any bounds. You're very fun to converse with, though, so thank you for taking the time to sit down with me.

 **TOUMA:** [laughs breathily] Yeah, no, you're fine. I'm glad it helped…?

 **KAZUO:** It did! I might need to retreat to my own room, or otherwise find another companion to help me avoid crowds.

 **TOUMA:** Kinji might—

 **KAZUO:** Kinji is...drawn to crowds. I do enjoy spending time with her, based on our interactions so far, but she will be around too many people for me to relax.

 **KAZUO:** [stands up; stretches] Thank you again. Feel free to come find me, to talk or to socialize silently, if you'd ever like to.

 **TOUMA:** [standing] I will, thank you. Goodbye for now!

 **KAZUO:** Yes, for now.

 _Kazuo made his way through the other door in the dining hall—the one that didn't lead to the kitchen—and I noticed that he was wearing a backpack in addition to his messenger bag. I wondered what he was carrying around with him that required him to use two bags…._

 _Maybe I could ask him later._

 _After a moment, I followed his path through the doors and found myself in another hallway._

 _Or, well, the exact same hallway, I realized after a moment; just a different part of it._

 _To my right laid the people who'd yet to wake up, and to my left was the area that Shizuku had presumably explored earlier when we'd split up. Thankfully, I quickly spotted Shizuku herself._

 **SHIZUKU:** Hello, Sir Touma! Have you found much of note?

 **TOUMA:** A kitchen, if that counts.

 **SHIZUKU:** It counts as long as there's food in it!

 **TOUMA:** [laughs] Then yes, it counts. That, a dining hall, a supply room, and a fire exit—but it seems to be blocked off. I couldn't get it to budge.

 **SHIZUKU:** [sighs; defeated] I'm beginning to worry….Peanut and I discovered an elevator and what I believe to be a nearby staircase, but the latter is completely blocked off, and the former appears to be out of commission.

 **SHIZUKU:** [agitated] In every room I checked, there was no phone, either. The only things I've been able to find that remotely connect us to the outside world are the televisions.

 **SHIZUKU:** [tugging at hair; upset] But I can't even get them to work! I don't know who any of these people are, or where we are, or even what day it is!

 _Shizuku seemed close to tears, but I had no clue what to say. I wasn't any good at this! Sure, I could help customers, but not friends! What was I supposed to do?!_

 **?:** [distant] Hello? Wh-what…? Hello!?

 _Oh, great…._

 _At least another introduction would get me out of this awkward conversation._

 **SHIZUKU:** [takes a deep breath; clears throat] Coming! Please do not worry, there are others who are awake.

 _I trailed behind Shizuku and saw that only three other people were still unconscious. I might have been miscounting, but...had I missed a couple of people?_

 **?:** What is going on?! Where am I? Who are you?!

 _The girl who was yelling at us was wearing a bright red dress and had heavy-looking jewelry around her neck. Her voice was fairly high-pitched and her tanned cheeks were a deep red._

 **TOUMA:** None of us know where we are, ma'am; we all woke up here not too long ago. My name is Touma Sashi, and I'm the Super High School Level Barista. This is Shizuku.

 _The girl was silent, staring at me intensely as though trying to figure out if I was lying—or maybe if I was real._

 **MIKI:** I'm...Miki Hatori. Super High School Level Translator.

MIKI HATORI — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TRANSLATOR

 _I could barely keep my jaw from dropping. Hatori? As in, related to **the** Hatori who was such a successful businessman that I worked for one of his café chains?!_

 **MIKI:** [clipped] Yes, that's my father. You can stop looking star-struck.

 **TOUMA:** I—I'm so sorry, my apologies—

 **MIKI:** It's fine. How many others are there? Is it just the...six of us?

 **SHIZUKU:** No, actually, there are sixteen students total, and all of us with Super High School Level talents.

 **MIKI:** I see. That's very worrying.

 **SHIZUKU:** [fretful] You're telling me!

 **MIKI:** I'm very sorry to change the subject, but is there a place where I can clean myself off? I just woke up on a floor, and I feel exceedingly dirty.

 **SHIZUKU:** Oh, there are bathrooms!

 **TOUMA:** And I can get you a towel and some body wash, if you need it. I found some earlier.

 **MIKI:** Really? That would be perfect, thank you. Ah….Could you show me to a room?

 **SHIZUKU:** Yes, of course! Please, follow me. Touma, bring Miss Miki her supplies, won't you?

 **TOUMA:** Yes, ma'am.

 _Was Miki...really going to take a shower in such a foreign area? I thought I had a problem with cleanliness, but I guess Miki had me beat—on some level, at least. Maybe she was the type to enter a kitchen and not wash her hands. The audacity of people like that, honestly…._

 _I knew I had a bit of time before I'd be expected back with the towel and body wash, and there was still one area I hadn't visited._

 _I backtracked to the end of the hallway where the dining hall let out, finding the elevator that Shizuku and Peanut had told me about against the far wall. Just like they'd said, it didn't respond to any attempt to open it; nothing even lit up. Next to it was what **should** have been a staircase, but the door wasn't just locked; looking through the small window, it appeared to have been completely covered from the other side. This was…._

 _It suddenly hit me just how **deliberate** all of this was. No way it was a prank. Not a joke. Not something funny that we could laugh off. We were being trapped in here, and none of us knew why._

 **?:** Oh? Hello there! Yoo-hoo!

 _On the other side of the elevator, the wall indented to reveal two vending machines, and—for now—two figures._

 _The one who'd spoken to me had a bright shock of blue hair and was wearing clothes that I could only describe as peculiar: a leather jacket, an untucked cravat, and black jeans that were covered in white designs._

 **?:** [sticking hands in pockets] Haven't met ya yet, stranger! Mich and I were tryin' out these machines.

 **?:** [cocks head] But we don't have any money, so it's not goin' too well.

 **TOUMA:** [waves] Hello there. I'm Touma Sashi, and you are…?

 **DOUKA:** [hands on hips] Douka Rakuman! Super High School Level Hip-Hop Dancer at your service! I still say I'm more a fashion icon than a dancer; I'm a simple guy, and dancing is just a hobby of mine—picking outfits is where I really shine.

DOUKA RAKUMAN — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL HIP-HOP DANCER

 _He seemed...eccentric. I had a feeling that he and Kinji would get along rather well._

 **DOUKA:** [gestures to his side] And this is Mich! Or Michiyo.

 **MICH?:** [waves] ….

 **DOUKA:** He's a stat kid!

 **MICHIYO:** [sighs] Statistician. That's my talent. And my full name is Michiyo Fujihara. I hope we can get along.

MICHIYO FUJIHARA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL STATISTICIAN

 _I actually felt like I've heard that name before, though I'd thought Fujihara was a girl. The bundled-up person in from certainly matched with what I'd heard about this child mathematics prodigy—wearing a thick jacket with wide glasses and having a monotonous voice—so I was a bit surprised to hear that he was a **he**._

 **TOUMA:** I hope so too, sirs!

 **TOUMA:** [moving forward] But, what was it you said you were doing, Douka?

 **DOUKA:** Oh! We're checkin' out these machines. They're like vending machines, I think, but they haven't got any food in them.

 _And yeah, they did look a bit off. The one on the right seemed more like a gashapon, though, which I pointed out to them._

 **MICHIYO:** Yes, but there's no crank.

 **TOUMA:** That's true, but it does have capsule toys! Or...something inside capsules.

 **MICHIYO:** [hums] That's true. Do you have any change on you? We would really like to test these.

 **TOUMA:** No, sorry! I couldn't find my wallet or my phone when I woke up.

 **MICHIYO:** [covering mouth with jacket] Yes, same with us. Douka and I have theorized that we—meaning all sixteen of us—have been unconscious for a rather long time. Perhaps more than a day, even up to a week.

 **MICHIYO:** Are you wearing the same clothes you were in when you remember blacking out? If your experience matched ours, at least.

 **TOUMA:** It did, I think—everyone's seems to be following the same pattern. And yes, I am, as far as I can remember.

 **MICHIYO:** [nodding] That's all I wanted to know. You may go.

 _I—excuse me? Jeez, so many rude people! Was it just a trait that so many Super High School Levels shared, or was I just unlucky with the students that were supposedly my classmates?_

 _Michiyo started to walk past me, not even deigning to dance in my direction, but then he tripped over his own pants. Reflexively, I reached out, trying to steady him—_

 _I ended up with him on top of me and a blunt pain in the back of my head where I'd hit the floor. He was heavier than I'd expected, shit. And now I probably looked super weak, great._

 **TOUMA:** I'm so sorry, I meant to help, I—

 _From this close, I saw that Michiyo's eyes were wide behind his glasses and they were rather pretty—very pretty—really expressive—I wondered why he hid them underneath bangs and such large glasses?_

 **MICHIYO:** Th-thank you, I—I—

 _He quickly pushed himself up, avoiding looking directly at me._

 **MICHIYO:** I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to fall over.

 **TOUMA:** Ha, yeah, I figured! It's okay, sir.

 **TOUMA:** [standing] I understand, it's no problem. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable.

 **MICHIYO:** [covering face with hands] N-no, it's okay, you didn't, thank you so much, thank you, I really appreciate what you did, um! I have to go now, bye, thank you!

 _He ran away, somehow managing not to trip at all this time. I wondered what his deal was; it was like he couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to be rude._

 **DOUKA:** G'bye, Mich!

 **DOUKA:** [crossing arms over chest] He's cute! His clothes are a bit too big, though. Hope he doesn't go around tripping on people all the time, y'know? But hey, it was nice to meet you, Touma! I'm gonna go find Kinji again, but I'll see ya around!

 _Douka and I split ways, and I made it all the way down the hallway without any interruptions. After retrieving a towel, washcloth, body wash, and shampoo, I found the room that Shizuku had lead Miki too._

 _The room itself was nearly identical to the one I'd inspected earlier, and I could hear the shower running from the bathroom. I knocked hesitantly on the door._

 **MIKI:** [muffled] Yes?

 **TOUMA:** I have the stuff you asked for, ma'am.

 **MIKI:** [muffled; laughing] You make it sound like a drug deal.

 **TOUMA:** Huh? I didn't mean—!

 **MIKI:** [muffled] Yes, I know that's not what you meant. Give me a second.

 **MIKI:** [clearer] I'm gonna open the door and grab it. Don't freak out, please.

 _The door opened and a dripping wet hand reached through. I handed the towel to her, everything else sitting on top, and the hand retreated, the door closing a second after._

 **MIKI:** [muffled] Thank you very much, Touma. So, Shizuku and I were talking earlier, but just to make sure I understand exactly what's going on; sixteen upcoming Hope's Peak students were kidnapped and transported to an unknown hotel, and we have no way of getting out or contacting anyone. Is that correct?

 **TOUMA:** Yes, ma'am, as far as we know.

 **MIKI:** [muffled] Thank you.

 _I idled in the room, unsure if I should wait to see if she needed anything else._

 **MIKI:** [muffled] You can leave, if you have somewhere to be. Thank you again!

 **TOUMA:** Right, of course! You're very welcome, ma'am.

 _I heard her begin humming after a moment, and I quickly made my way out of the room, not wanting to intrude. She did have a very beautiful voice, but it felt like I was eavesdropping the longer I stayed in the room._

 _Back in the hallway, a group had crowded around the final few people who'd yet to wake up—or maybe someone had just woken up? Only one way to find out._

 _As I came upon them, I could make out whose voices were whose._

 **TAROU:** Well, go find something or help us!

 **SHIZUKU:** I am helping!

 **PEANUT:** Is there anything I can do?

 **?:** Heh, no sweetheart, don't worry about it! Your friends are helping me out.

 **KIKI:** Has anyone looked in the rooms…?

 **SHIZUKU:** I did! But there might be something in one of them that I overlooked….

 **TAROU:** Are you sure there wasn't something in the storage room, or what-the-hell-ever it was?

 **KIKI:**...Pretty sure. I can check again, though.

 **TAROU:** [snapping] Then go check!

 **?:** Thank you very much, Eki.

 **KIKI:** I told you. Call me Kiki.

 _As the group's voices overlapped, Kiki popped out and started heading my way. She saw me, but kept walking past me._

 _Oh. Alright…?_

 **TOUMA:** Ah, Kiki—!

 **KIKI:** [pausing; turns around] Yeah?

 **TOUMA:** Sorry. What are you looking for?

 **KIKI:** A wheelchair.

 **TOUMA:** [worriedly] Did someone get hurt?

 **KIKI:** Not recently, but probably at some point, yes.

 _She resumed her path to the storage room, and I went the opposite direction (Kiki didn't exactly look like she wanted company), trying to see what was happening, when I heard a second voice I didn't recognize._

 **?:** Back away , please!

 **SHIZUKU:** Oh! Sorry, sorry! We're helping out Kennosuke, he—

 **?:** Please just give me a bit of space and then you may help him.

 **?:** Oh, hello to you too! Eh, sorry for getting in your way. Wish I could get out of it.

 _At the deeper voice's request, the crowd began backing away a bit, and I was able to see what was happening._

 _A tall, broad figure wearing a robe stood up—the newer voice. On the floor was a man with a with dark, braided hair. He'd been propped up against the wall, but if I had to guess, I'd say this was who the wheelchair was for. The one on the floor spoke up again._

 **?:** May I get your name, while we wait?

 **UBUKA:** [stiffly; bowing] Ubuka Umezono. I heard someone mention talents, so know that I am the Super High School Level Kyudoka. I would deeply appreciate an explanation.

UBUKA UMEZONO — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL KYUDOKA

 _I heard Shizuku give an explanation she'd probably been reciting for a while now. How she still had the patience to repeat it, I'd never know._

 _Ubuka took in the information with a stoic face; the only response I could see at first was that her hand was slowly clenching into a fist, tighter and tighter._

 _By that point, I stood on the outskirts of the group, and the boy on the ground spotted me._

 **?:** Hello, newcomer! I like your bowtie.

 _I brought a hand to my bowtie self-consciously._

 **TOUMA:** Thank you, sir. I like your sash.

 **?:** [grinning] Thanks! I suppose you didn't hear about me, so I'll catch you up to speed.

 **KENNOSUKE:** I'm the Super High School Level Wheelchair Fencer—don't worry, I don't have my saber. And my name's Kennosuke Abe!

KENNOSUKE ABE — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL WHEELCHAIR FENCER

 **KENNOSUKE:** How about you, Bowtie-Guy?

 **TOUMA:** Touma Sashi, barista.

 **KENNOSUKE:** [nods] Concise. I can respect that.

 _Soon after, Kiki returned with what, indeed, looked to be a folded-up wheelchair. With the help of Ubuka, Kennosuke was soon comfortably situated._

 **KENNOSUKE:** Thank you all for being patient! Now, do I get a tour guide to show me where the heck we are?

 **UBUKA:** I would like to know that, as well.

 **PEANUT:** [raising hand] I can show you around!

 **KENNOSUKE:** Aw, that would be lovely! Thanks so much, little one.

 **PEANUT:** Follow me. First, I'll show you the kitchen. Does that sound good?

 **KENNOSUKE:** Sounds perfect.

 _Peanut led their way to the kitchen, prompting the rest of the group to disperse._

 _As they passed me, Ubuka looked at Kennosuke out of the corner of her eye._

 **UBUKA:** [muttering; to Kennosuke] Do you….Er, would you like me to…?

 **KENNOSUKE:** 'Scuse me?

 **UBUKA:** Do you want for me to push your wheelchair for you?

 **KENNOSUKE:** [with a strained smile] No, no, I'm perfectly fine! I'm more than capable of moving myself around. I...I know you mean well, but no.

 **UBUKA:** [eyes downcast; muttering] My apologies.

 **KENNOSUKE:** It's fine, it's fine.

 _The pair was out of earshot, but I could tell that Ubuka was still conversing with Kennosuke. She'd seemed so uncomfortable when she woke up, I was glad that she'd already found someone she could partner herself with. In our current situation, without knowing what was going on, it wouldn't pay to be alone._

 _Speaking of…._

 _With the hallway cleared out, I could easily see that only one person remained passed out, and I wasn't about to leave someone out here completely alone. I took a seat near them, waiting for them to wake up. It could be a while. Longer than a while. I'd have to be patient—_

 _Oh my God, their eyes were already open._

 _They blinked at me, and then smiled. When I only stared in surprise, they stretched, yawning as they moved themself into a more comfortable position._

 _I snapped myself out of my shock._

 **TOUMA:** Hello! How long have you been awake for?

 _They looked up in thought; shook their head and shrugged._

 **TOUMA:** Were you awake for Ubuka and Kennosuke's exit?

 _They moved their hand in a so-so gesture._

 **TOUMA:** [nervously] I'm sorry, but can you—can you speak?

 _They shook their head no, but before I could worry, they reached into one of the many pockets that covered the thick jacket they were wearing and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen—they were surprisingly prepared—and began writing something down._

 **?:** [written] _Been mute my whole life! Most of it? All that matters._

 **TOUMA:** Oh, I see!

 _They turning the paper back toward themself and jotted down something else._

 **HISOKA:** [written] _Intro: Name's Hisoka Yamashita, age 17, SHSL Silent Film Actor._

HISOKA YAMASHITA — SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL SILENT FILM ACTOR

 **HISOKA:** [written] _I already know your name, heard it. Shizuku said we've been kidnapped and placed in a hotel. That's pretty weird._

 **TOUMA:** Yeah, it's been pretty confusing. That's a really amazing talent, by the way!

 **HISOKA:** [grins widely; written] Thanks a bunch! I've been acting since I was little. Baristas are cool, I don't like how coffee tastes but it smells good. Is there a place with tables we can go?

 _Oh. Somehow, I'd failed to realize that we were still sitting on the floor in the hallway._

 **TOUMA:** [standing] Yes! We can go to—

 _A loud noise cut me off; a burst of static sounded through the entire floor, causing me to freeze and making my throat tighten in fear._

 _Hisoka looked at me in confusion, but I couldn't answer their unspoken question._

 _And then, an unsettling, disembodied voice echoed through the halls._

 **?:** Test, two, three—there we go! Why, hello, everyone! It's great to see you all awake. I've been getting impatient, so please make your way to the dining room, ASAP! Take your assigned seat, and then get ready to listen, puhuhu, because it's time we all had a chat !

 **?:** What are you waiting for? Get moving!

 _Another burst of static, and then total silence._

 _Hisoka was standing now and had their arms crossed over their chest, and they looked completely terrified. I would have tried to reassure them, but I wasn't doing much better myself._

 _After that moment of stillness, there was a sudden commotion as people began making their ways to the dining room, asking each other questions and casting around confused looks._

 _Hisoka cocked their head and furrowed their eyebrows._

 **TOUMA:** I can show you to the dining room, don't worry.

 _I felt like I wasn't really answering their question._

 _And for some reason, the second half of my sentence came out sounding hollow._

 _It should be a good thing that there was someone else here, right? Someone to tell us what was going on, where we were, what we were doing. Maybe they'd explain that this was an elaborate prank, or that we were the unknowing contestants on a new game show._

 _Hopefully, things would make sense soon._

 _Maybe._


End file.
